Verbatim: Republican convention attendees discuss 2016 election

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Ohio governor and 2016 presidential candidate John Kasich spoke Friday evening at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport in Burlingame, speaking on issues ranging from drug abuse to cutting taxes. As part of a multi-day Republican Convention, Kasich is one of three candidates who partook in the event, as presidential candidate Donald Trump spoke earlier on Friday and Ted Cruz spoke on Saturday.

The Paly Voice interviewed delegates and guests after the dinner banquet to learn more about what important political ideas they support, and how they view the three Republican candidates.

Videos by Adrienne Kwok.

Susan Vander Schaaf:
Susan Vander Schaaf has been a San Joaquin County Republican Party chairman since 2014, and previously worked as a secretary for Escalon Republican Women Federated. Vander Schaaf says she likes Kasich, but supports Ted Cruz for president and had supported Marco Rubio until his campaign’s suspension. While she supports Cruz because he is a very conservative candidate, Vander Schaaf believes candidate Donald Trump is negatively affecting the Republican party and is hoping for a brokered republican convention.

Peter Ohtaki:
Peter Ohtaki is the former mayor and two-term city council member of Menlo Park, elected in 2010 and 2014. A current California State Assembly candidate, Ohtaki says he supports Kasich because he will most likely foster bipartisan support in the White House and views Trump and Cruz as dangerous politicians who can divide the Republican party. As a member of the Menlo Park city council, Ohtaki helped balance the city’s budget and oversee the local fire department.

Gordon Humphrey:
Gordon Humphrey is a former New Hampshire senator who confidently voiced his support of Kasich. Humphrey, who served as senator from 1979 until 1990, helped shape America’s policies on the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan as a member of a specialized task force. He later unsuccessfully ran for New Hampshire governor twice and was a supporter of Edward Snowden after Snowden leaked classified information.

Vanila Singh:
A current delegate to San Mateo County and a doctor at Stanford University, Singh does not entirely support Kasich as a potential president, though she says she respects him as a person. According to Singh, the most important issue of this election is creating job opportunities, and that the Republican candidates are more competent than Sanders or Clinton in combating this problem.

Yesenia Ceja:
Yesenia Ceja is a caterer who believes Trump is dividing the U.S. As a woman of Hispanic descent, Ceja says some of Trump’s comments regarding immigration are racist and polarize the nation. While she is not necessarily opposed to immigration laws, she says she thinks Trump’s intended methods of doing so are offensive.